World Cup 2026: Possible England XI

England are in good stead ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions won all of their qualifing games so far to land a spot at the tournament, scoring 22 goals along the way.

Perhaps even more impressively, England did not concede a single goal during their qualifying campaign. With the qualifiers out of the way after the 2-0 win over Albania, how will England line up at the World Cup?

We took a look at a possible England XI before the World Cup kicks off next summer. We’ve included players from teams such as Everton, Manchester City and Arsenal – how does your XI look?

GK: Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford has been England’s undisputed number one for well over five years now.

As such, we see no reason to swap him out for an alternative, especially with him being in such strong form for Everton.

RB: Reece James

Reece James’ career has been heavily marred by injuries, but he is enjoying a consistent run of games for Chelsea at the moment. Kieran Trippier has retired from England duty and Trent Alexander-Arnold is struggling at Real Madrid – if he can stay fit, James is the best pick at right-back for the Three Lions.

CB: Ezri Konsa

Again, this is a position with plenty of competition, but we feel Ezri Konsa should be at the top of the pile.

He has been outstanding for both club and country in recent months, showing his bravery and excellent anticipational skills. Marc Guehi and Harry Maguire are solid options, but Konsa should be rewarded for his fine form.

CB: John Stones

While Konsa’s placement in the team is debatable, John Stones’ certainly isn’t.

There is no substitute for the Manchester City man – a veteran defender and a fantastic ball-playing defender, he will be one of the first names on Tuchel’s team sheet.

LB: Djed Spence

The 2025/26 season has been a massive breakout campaign for Djed Spence. Just a few months ago, he would not have even been part of the conversation – let alone a shoe-in for the left-back position.

He can also play on either side – as such, this could make room for someone like Myles Lewis-Skelly to get a chance.

CM: Declan Rice

Declan Rice is arguably England’s best player at the moment, boasting a complete skillset from central midfield.

We would like him to play in a more free role, rather than being mired as a defensive midfielder – he is wasted as a number six.

CM: Adam Wharton

By playing Adam Wharton, an outstanding holding midfielder, you can unleash Rice and allow him to occupy more advanced positions.

Furthermore, Wharton is no slouch – an excellent passer of the ball and an intelligent defender, it’s time for the Crystal Palace ace to get his flowers for the Three Lions.

RW: Bukayo Saka

Is Bukayo Saka England’s best winger at the moment? We’d definitely say so – he can be inconsistent, but Saka is truly unplayable on his day.

His strength, pace, dribbling ability and finishing makes the Arsenal star an obvious pick for this XI.

AM: Jude Bellingham

Forget all the ‘controversy’ surrounding Jude Bellingham at the moment. For decades, the media has taken nonsensical potshots at England’s best players – we are seeing it again with Bellingham.

Despite the manufactured hullabaloo, Bellingham seems to be blocking it out effectively. He is still arguably England’s most talented player and will be allowed plenty of creative freedom as the number ten.

LW: Eberechi Eze

Some may feel that Marcus Rashford or Anthony Gordon should occupy this position, but Eberechi Eze is the perfect player to have when you need to unlock a stubborn defence.

England will have to deal with more than a few robust backlines at the World Cup, but not many of them will be able to cope with Eze’s unpredictability.

ST: Harry Kane

This, for us, was the most obvious pick in the XI. There is simply no competition for Harry Kane – not only is he the best English striker currently, he might be the best English striker of all time.

He frustrates audiences with his tendency to drop deep, but this is just his game – he likes to roam from his position to create chances and confuse defenders.